Abilene, Tx: Worst city in Texas hands down!! (Beaumont, Tyler: appointed, neighborhood)

[JoeTomo]

Originally Posted by Hiapo

As someone who lived in Abilene for close to 20 years, I would have to say you do not know what you are talking about. Abilene may not be party central but I had a great time there. If the night club is what you think is fun than I can see your point, but I had a blast mountain biking, camping, boating, rockcrawiling, and hitting the gym. There are a ton of great restaurants, burritos "La Popular is my favorite with Alfredos right behind it, Burgers Rockin Rollers, then Heffs. Steak, Perinnies ranch south of town in Buffalo Gap, Italian I like little Italy in the center of town, Sushi have that also. CK Seafood little whole in the wall where there is great food. Food trucks are all over the place right now also

Art scene there is starting to blow up also, check out the soda district it was up and coming before we moved.

Never had an issue with the Airport and thought it was great I could show up 10 minutes before my flight and get on the plane, never paid close to 500 for a flight unless I had to leave the next day.

Hospitals are great, use to work in one and have used a bunch of the medical facilities there. I haven't looked at the data but would be surprised if in the last 10 years Abilene hasn't grown despite your claim it will shrink.

Also, I probably had 200 trees in my yard, not one ever blew down.

You didn't give it a chance unfortunately and jumped to an incorrect conclusion.

I guess I should fact check you..

If there’s no “nightlife” then there’s no life.

Hospitals? There’s only 1. The other one is a small clinic.. In Tyler we had world class healthcare at an actual hospital with actual doctors.

200 trees in your yard? I bet there’s not 200 trees in the whole city! Go to east Texas and see trees.

The food options you’ve listed are mediocre at best. I’ve been to every single one you’ve mentioned and none are noteworthy. I have never had a bad experience with a Tyler restaurant.

The airport is a joke. I remember at Tyler you can fly to more than one destination and had a big airport for a city it’s size. It was great. The airport parking lot in Abilene is nothing more than a dirt parking lot with some tarps covering it as “shelter”. It’s pathetic.

Where’s this art you mention? There’s literally nothing downtown but shuttered business.

The average income in Abilene must be less than $15,000 per year. The largest employer is Walmart if that says anything.

Abilene has a “zoo”..kinda... It has 4 animals and takes 10 minutes to go through. Waste of time.

So basically there’s a trend here. Texas forgot about Abilene and that’s a good thing.

[JoeTomo]

Originally Posted by bradman22

ummmmm. San Angelo?

San Angelo is a really nice city. Can’t say I like the scenery much but San Angelo has a lot going on.

[NigerianNightmare]

Port Arthur is the worst city in Texas, you know it because people in Beaumont say at least we aren't Port Arthur and Beaumont is an extension of the cities of Southern Louisiana, outside of Lafayette, good food but...

Go to Port Arthur or even Beaumont once and you'll be back in Abilene that same day.

[jfre81]

Originally Posted by NigerianNightmare

Port Arthur is the worst city in Texas, you know it because people in Beaumont say at least we aren't Port Arthur and Beaumont is an extension of the cities of Southern Louisiana, outside of Lafayette, good food but...

Go to Port Arthur or even Beaumont once and you'll be back in Abilene that same day.

The most redeeming qualities about Beaumont/PA as opposed to Abilene would be having Houston no more than two hours away, and New Orleans is almost close enough to be a day trip (~4 hrs).

Other than that, yeah, enjoy ignoring disturbances in the tropics in the summer in Abilene, and breathing cleaner air.

[Diws]

So you moved there without checking it out first? Only have yourself to blame IMO. If nightlife is a factor for you then what are you doing in a small city in rural Texas in the first place?

Abilene is not for everyone, certainly. I personally would not live there again if I could help it. But there are redeeming qualities. The Air Force base and 3 colleges make is somewhat less parochial than other fairly isolated small cities. There is a different feel than say a Wichita Falls. You will meet people who have not lived in Texas all of their life more frequently. There is an actual neogothic style church.

Other than that, maybe check out Perini Ranch. Buffalo Gap in general is worth a look. And there is a small but vibrant arts scene. Check out the coffee houses downtown. Not sure what else to suggest as I only go back every once in awhile. But you might as well try and make the best of it while you are there, and there are definitely worse places in Texas to be.

[JoeTomo]

Originally Posted by Diws

So you moved there without checking it out first? Only have yourself to blame IMO. If nightlife is a factor for you then what are you doing in a small city in rural Texas in the first place?

Abilene is not for everyone, certainly. I personally would not live there again if I could help it. But there are redeeming qualities. The Air Force base and 3 colleges make is somewhat less parochial than other fairly isolated small cities. There is a different feel than say a Wichita Falls. You will meet people who have not lived in Texas all of their life more frequently. There is an actual neogothic style church.

Other than that, maybe check out Perini Ranch. Buffalo Gap in general is worth a look. And there is a small but vibrant arts scene. Check out the coffee houses downtown. Not sure what else to suggest as I only go back every once in awhile. But you might as well try and make the best of it while you are there, and there are definitely worse places in Texas to be.

You're correct..I did not check out the city before I moved and I wish I had done so. Lesson learned in the biggest of ways. You're also correct that Abilene is not for everyone because there's simply NOTHING to do in Abilene. It's not a friendly place and the environment is about as run down and bland as anyone will ever see. I've been to the Perini Ranch and it's mediocre at best..and the cost is just insane. I got the feeling you payed for the atmosphere out there. Dakota's Steakhouse in Tyler is probably the best I've ever had and for the price, its the real deal. I'm not sure where these "coffee houses" are downtown because there's nothing downtown. No restaurants, bars, coffee houses..anything. I work downtown and I often have to bring my lunch because there's no restaurants in Abilene. Heck, there's only 4 grocery stores in the whole city! I suggest you all go to Tyler and you wont see run down business, homelessness, closed businesses, poverty.. etc. Tyler actually takes care of it's city and it's people care about their home unlike Abilene.

[Diws]

Originally Posted by JoeTomo

You're correct..I did not check out the city before I moved and I wish I had done so. Lesson learned in the biggest of ways. You're also correct that Abilene is not for everyone because there's simply NOTHING to do in Abilene. It's not a friendly place and the environment is about as run down and bland as anyone will ever see. I've been to the Perini Ranch and it's mediocre at best..and the cost is just insane. I got the feeling you payed for the atmosphere out there. Dakota's Steakhouse in Tyler is probably the best I've ever had and for the price, its the real deal. I'm not sure where these "coffee houses" are downtown because there's nothing downtown. No restaurants, bars, coffee houses..anything. I work downtown and I often have to bring my lunch because there's no restaurants in Abilene. Heck, there's only 4 grocery stores in the whole city! I suggest you all go to Tyler and you wont see run down business, homelessness, closed businesses, poverty.. etc. Tyler actually takes care of it's city and it's people care about their home unlike Abilene.

Well, I live in Chicagoland, so Tyler isn't really going to be my cup of tea, either. I guess you are entitled to your opinion, but Perini Ranch has an awful lot of good buzz and critical reviews. I'm sure that you can dig up some good Mexican, Tex-Mex and barbeque locally, but my intel on this is out of date.

I do think that Abilene has changed since I lived there. The oil industry seems to have a lot more action to the west, Dyess is not going to grow, and the colleges are only going to go so far. My family were among the earliest settlers there, and there has always been a strong hardcore religious element (my family not among them) - especially Baptist and Church of Christ. I was sort of brought up in a bubble and did not experience this stuff much firsthand growing up, but it's really evident to me now whenever I go back. You once had a pretty good upper middle and professional class there and I don't see as much of that anymore.

No idea what you are into, but one plus side of the boredom is that it's not difficult at all to ... meet young women. At least when I was there it wasn't. But the reality is that most of the people who have options tend to leave. There are not many people I knew in High School who stayed; 90% of them are no longer in the area; mostly they went to Dallas or Austin: some to Houston and then there are the oddballs like me.

Seems like there is not much more that you can do but try and move again, and in the meantime try and make the best of it. You'll probably be happier, anyway. Again I don't know your interests, but try going to the Abilene Philharmonic, or an art opening at the Center for Contemporary Arts. Check out a concert at the Church of the Heavenly Rest. Strike up a conversation with someone at Monks and see where stuff is happening. I dunno - maybe Remington's Lounge at the Elegante. I've struck up some good conversations with people there when I have stayed there. It is the sort of town where you have to make your own entertainment at times.

[Hiapo]

Originally Posted by JoeTomo

I guess I should fact check you..

If there’s no “nightlife” then there’s no life.

Hospitals? There’s only 1. The other one is a small clinic.. In Tyler we had world class healthcare at an actual hospital with actual doctors.

200 trees in your yard? I bet there’s not 200 trees in the whole city! Go to east Texas and see trees.

The food options you’ve listed are mediocre at best. I’ve been to every single one you’ve mentioned and none are noteworthy. I have never had a bad experience with a Tyler restaurant.

The airport is a joke. I remember at Tyler you can fly to more than one destination and had a big airport for a city it’s size. It was great. The airport parking lot in Abilene is nothing more than a dirt parking lot with some tarps covering it as “shelter”. It’s pathetic.

Where’s this art you mention? There’s literally nothing downtown but shuttered business.

The average income in Abilene must be less than $15,000 per year. The largest employer is Walmart if that says anything.

Abilene has a “zoo”..kinda... It has 4 animals and takes 10 minutes to go through. Waste of time.

So basically there’s a trend here. Texas forgot about Abilene and that’s a good thing.

There are a ton of bars so I'm not sure what nightlife you are talking about?

Hospitals, there are 2 Hendricks and Abilene Regional.

Just look at google map for all the trees you need.

I don't know what to tell you I have been all over the country and that hole in the wall La popular has the best burritos I have ever had. You don't like Perinies steak house, If you don't think that is good I don't know what is?

A dirt parking lot at the airport? Yes you have to connect through Dallas to get anywhere but who cares its really not an issue at all.

You must just be trolling now right?

I'm am not sure why you would come on here and be so overly dramatic, seems like a waste of time?

You should really take the time to explore everything in order to give a more accurate description of Abilene, yours is seriously inaccurate.

[War Beagle]

Somehow I doubt the OP has been to Duval County.

[jfre81]

Originally Posted by War Beagle

Somehow I doubt the OP has been to Duval County.

I heard San Diego was "America's Finest City" though